1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a terminal box including a box body having a bottom portion, a terminal portion fixed to the box body, a pressing portion, a holding portion, and a slide mechanism, wherein the bottom portion has an opening portion capable of receiving a terminal inserted therein from the outside, the terminal portion is capable of establishing electric conduction between the terminal portion and the terminal upon contact therewith, the pressing portion is switchable between a contacting state in which the pressing portion clamps the terminal with the terminal portion for establishing electric conduction between the terminal portion and the terminal and a spaced state spaced from the terminal portion, the holding portion holds the pressing portion integrally and is slidable on the box body in the direction of movement of the pressing portion to/away from the terminal portion, and the slide mechanism is capable of forming the contacting state by sliding the holding portion.
The invention relates also to a fixing arrangement for a terminal box including a bottom plate, an opening portion, and a terminal portion, wherein the bottom plate includes a bottom face fixed to a fixed face with an adhesive agent, the opening portion is formed in the bottom plate for use in connection of an external terminal, the terminal portion is electrically connected to the external terminal, and the external terminal and the terminal portion are connected to each other via the opening portion.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a terminal box of the above-noted type, as shown in FIG. 14, is comprised of a square-shaped, metal vertical tube member 20 formed integral with the box body 1 and an insertion member (corresponding to “a holding portion”) 21 which is inserted into the interior of the vertical tube member 20 from above (see e.g. Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2011-14466). With this terminal box, one perimeter face portion 20a of four perimeter faces of the vertical tube member 20 is constructed as a terminal portion 22. Further, two perimeter face portions 20b, 20c adjacent to this terminal portion 22 are constructed as lateral wall portions 23 having the function of guiding the insertion member 21 to the terminal portion 22 (slide mechanism).
The insertion member 21 is comprised of a vertically disposed groove-shaped member and its bottom face portion 21a corresponding to the groove bottom of the three perimeter faces includes an inclined face portion 21b bent as being folded from the lower edge portion toward the space inside the groove. This inclined face portion 21b is elastically pivotable along the groove depth direction and functions as a pressing portion 24 by clamping the terminal 4 together with the terminal portion 22 of the vertical tube member 20 for establishing electric conduction. The slide mechanism S includes a pair of upper and lower slots 25 formed with inclination in opposed lateral wall portions 23 of the vertical tube member 20 and a pair of upper and lower rod members 21d extending through the opposed lateral face portions 21c of the insertion member 21. The slots 25 are formed to be inclined downward as approaching the terminal portion 22. The rod members 21d are disposed with the terminal ends thereof projecting from the opposed lateral face portions 21c of the insertion member 21, so that these projecting end portions 26 may be engaged within the slots 25 of the vertical tube member 20.
Therefore, when the insertion member 21 is mounted to the vertical tube member 20 with the projecting end portions 26 being engaged within the slots 25 and then the insertion member 21 is pressed toward the lower end of the inner space of the vertical tube member 20, the projecting end portions 26 in point-contact with the inner perimeter portions 25a of the slots 25 are guided obliquely downward along the longitudinal direction of the slots 25. Hence, with pressing operation of the insertion members 21, the pressing portion 24 will be moved toward the terminal portion 22 to provide an elastic urging force, and clamp the terminal 4 together with the terminal portion 22, whereby electric connection can be established between the terminal portion 22 and the terminal 4.
According to the conventional terminal box described above, in association with insertion of the insertion members to the vertical tube member, a guiding action by the slide mechanism is provided, and electric connection can be established by the pressing portion between the terminal portion and the terminal. However, since the slide mechanism is comprised of the slots formed in the lateral wall portions of the vertical tube member and the rod members of the insertion members, the insertion force transmitted from the rod members will act on the single point of contact portion of the slot inner perimeter portion, so that there is the risk of stress concentration. As a result, there is the possibility of e.g. deformation of the contacted portion of the slot inner perimeter portion, so smooth operation of the insertion member was not possible.
Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a terminal box which overcomes the above-described problem and allows a smooth terminal connecting operation.
Further, with the conventional terminal box fixing arrangement, the fixed face and the bottom face of the terminal box to be fixed to this fixed face with adhesive are formed as flat faces which are flat over the entire surfaces thereof (see e.g. Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2011-14466).
For this reason, when unhardened adhesive agent is applied to the fixed face or the bottom face of the terminal box and then the fixed face and the bottom face are attached to each other, there is the risk of an excessive amount of adhesive agent oozed out from between the fixed face and the bottom face coming into the opening inadvertently. If this adhesive agent entering the opening portion adheres to the external terminal or the terminal portion, an electric connection failure may develop between the external terminal and the terminal portion. Further, in case the terminal box includes a movable operational member switchable between a connecting state and a non-connecting state between the terminal portion and the external terminal., if the adhesive agent entering the opening portion sticks to this movable operational member and then hardens thereon, the operation of the movable operational member may become difficult.
In order to overcome the above-described problem, it is conceivable to e.g. reduce the application amount of the adhesive agent or to increase the distance to be set between the application area of the adhesive agent on the fixed face or the bottom face and the perimeter edge of the opening portion so as to prevent the adhesive agent oozed out between the fixed face and the bottom face from reaching the opening portion. With these measures, however, there arises the possibility of reduction in the bonding strength.
In view of the above-described state of the art, the object of the present invention is to provide a terminal box fixing arrangement that allows prevention of entrance of excess adhesive agent into the opening portion while ensuring the bonding strength with a sufficient amount of adhesive agent.